Mafia Legacy (Book #1 - Mafia Series)

Part 32

What the fuck?

WHAT THE FUCK?

Gabriella blinked, staring at her reflection. What the fuck! She had agreed to this. She had agreed to marry Niccolo. The man who was using her for his entertainment, the man who was never fully honest with her, the man who had tried to put her in her place that very same day.

And what the fuck was a marriage with him going to look like? It wouldn't be love, it wouldn't be real... They would never be in a relationship, there would never be trust... What would be expected of her? Would she have to do something? Would she have to look the other way while he made his way through the ladies?

She hadn't asked questions.

Francesco's words had echoed in her ears, and she had concluded that the only way to save her family, to protect them and herself, was to say yes. She hadn't thought further than that. At least, not until she had been left by herself.

Niccolo had told her to wait while he ironed out the kinks - whatever that meant - and she had gone into the bathroom intending to take a shower. She never ended up taking one.

As soon as Gabriella had found herself alone in the room, the steam from the shower filling the vicinity, she had broken down. The severity of her decision, the implications - it had hit her like a ton of bricks.

How could she do this?

A wife.

She was too young to be a wife. Wasn't she?

She hadn't figured out her life, she didn't know what she would do with her life. For fuck's sake, she didn't even finish school yet. She had so many things to do, so many things to try...

And - and how long would this marriage last? Forever? Would they be tied in this shame, this fake marriage for the rest of their lives? Would she never find love, would she never have a family?

...Would she need to have a family with him?

Stupid, stupid, stupid. Why didn't she ask all this? Why did she say yes without giving it a second thought?

She dipped her head forward and gripped at the porcelain sink, her fingers sliding against the coldness, smoothness of it. She tried to take deep breaths, she tried to calm herself down but it was hopeless.

It was like she was choking on air. She couldn't breathe. Wheezing sounds emerged from the depths of her throat and she clawed at the sink. Calm down Gabby, calm down. Air in. Air out. One breath at a time.

She succeeded in taking small intakes of air when a knock rumbled through the room. She snapped her head to the left, staring at the white door.

"Gabby, you done?"

She hadn't even started. She wanted to reply, she wanted to tell him just a minute, but the words died before they made it past her lips. Fuck, not good. She tried to clear her throat, hoping it might help - but it didn't.

"Gabriella?"

As expected, the door swung open, revealing Niccolo standing there. He remained in the doorway, a frown on his face. Yeah, she thought she would be in the shower too... And yet there they were.

"What's wrong?"

What wasn't wrong?

She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat and tilted her head more while she kept herself leaning into the sink. "I- I don't think we can do this."

"Why not?"

He wasn't phased. He wasn't displaying any emotions whatsoever. Then again, when was he bothered by something? He always controlled everything, he always knew everything.